December 7th, 2023Foundation makes study dreams come true

Tackling a course of study at tertiary level is generally challenging enough, and difficulty with
finances, travel and other costs is the last thing anyone needs as they go about it.
That’s where The Daylesford Foundation just quietly and efficiently is making a massive difference in
the lives of many young locals.

The Foundation is able to help out by providing unique scholarships especially tailored to meet the
needs of young individuals who are serious about reaching out to achieve further study goals.

The Daylesford Foundation’s Jo Van Son says that it may be help with materials like laptops or
assistance with finding somewhere to live near to uni, or help with meeting the cost of transport,
that can make all the difference.

The Foundation has been able to assist many young locals including former Daylesford Secondary
College students like Alexie Philippou and Hayley Smith to take on new studies, potentially changing
their entire life direction and employment prospects in very positive ways.

For Hayley, 20, the Foundation’s carefully tailored assistance to help cover ancillary study costs like
equipment, has enabled her to successfully complete the two-year diploma in nursing course – which
she has just finished.

Now the Foundation has been able to come to the party yet again to provide additional support to
help Hayley go on further next year and tackle a nursing degree at Federation University.

“The Foundation has been very supportive,” says Hayley whose personal experiences of time spent in
hospital as a child contending with a serious hip condition helped inspire her interest in becoming a
nurse.

“I would love to work in orthopaedics. I’ve always wanted to help people,” Hayley says.

For Alexei, 19, the Foundation has this year been able to assist with travel expenses enabling him to
get to Federation University in Ballarat and complete a bridging course so that he can now go on to
begin a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in sociology, next year.

Specifically, the Foundation’s unique scholarship support has now provided Alexei with the top-up
funding needed to enable him to purchase a reliable car to get to and from uni as needed.

“It’s a massive help,” says Alexei. “And Jo was very open about what I could use the money on.”
Alexei says he was able to make the all important purchase by pooling the Foundation’s financial
contribution together with the government’s Unsafe to Safe vehicle upgrade grant, and with his own
carefully accumulated savings to purchase the car.

In the lives of young locals like Alexei and Hayley, the scholarship assistance provided by The
Daylesford Foundation has made a lynchpin difference between making a dream to study and pursue
a career in a particular area come true.

Jo says now is the time for any young people who think they may similarly benefit from some well
placed financial help and support to apply for a scholarship.

She says the Foundation takes the time to personally meet with applicants and find out exactly what
their circumstances and study goals are, and what type of assistance may help make all the difference
toward achieving them.

Providing support is sometimes not just about granting strategically useful financial assistance,
although this is often a key.

“Often the people we help may be the first person in their family to study at tertiary level,” says Jo.
In such situations the background support of The Foundation is also about simply having someone to
talk to, someone who can provide useful insights and guidance as to what to expect at uni and how to
contend with challenges that may arise.

Those who think a Daylesford Foundation scholarship may just make all the difference for them, or
for someone special that they know, to pursue a study dream need to get cracking now, though.
“As soon as possible because we’re looking at the applications constantly and the next round officially
closes on January 5,” Jo says.

Words Eve Lamb. Image: Supplied.